Key Points

In infants

• The mandatory meningococcal ACWY vaccination program, implemented on January 1, 2025, for infants following an increase in cases of invasive meningococcal infections of types W and Y, has resulted in high vaccination coverage, with nearly 88% of infants born in 2025 having received the first dose of the ACWY meningococcal vaccine. Among children born in 2024, before the replacement of the meningococcal C vaccine with the ACWY vaccine, 83% had received at least one dose of the tetravalent ACWY meningococcal vaccine by the age of 21 months. This vaccination coverage is lower than that estimated in 2024 for meningococcal C. It should be noted that vaccination started with a monovalent C vaccine before January 1, 2025, in infants must be continued with a tetravalent ACWY vaccine.
• In 2025, the year the mandatory vaccination against meningococcal B for infants up to age 2 was implemented, vaccination coverage against these infections has increased significantly, with 68.2% of infants born in 2024 (aged 21 months) up to date on their vaccinations (compared to 58.6% in 2024).
• Vaccination coverage for other mandatory infant vaccinations is generally high, with levels above or close to the 95% target set by the World Health Organization (WHO). Nevertheless, given the resurgence of measles virus circulation in France since 2024, it is important to note that vaccination coverage for the two-dose MMR vaccine must exceed this target to interrupt the circulation of the virus, which can lead to deaths among vulnerable individuals. Verifying and updating this vaccination status is essential for children and young adults.

In adolescents and young adults

• Given the potential severity and increased frequency of invasive meningococcal infections during adolescence, vaccination against meningococcal ACWY is recommended for adolescents, with catch-up vaccination for young adults. In 2025, only 17% of 11- to 14-year-olds and 7.8% of 15- to 24-year-olds had received a dose of this vaccine. Meningococcal ACWY vaccination must be intensified in this age group. Including this vaccine in campaigns conducted in middle schools starting in 2026 will help strengthen young people’s protection against these infections. Efforts to improve vaccination coverage must continue in order to achieve herd immunity and reduce the circulation of meningococcal disease in other age groups.
• Vaccination coverage against human papillomavirus (HPV) infections continues to increase, with 40.8% of 16-year-old girls and 26.5% of 16-year-old boys having completed the full vaccination series. The gap in vaccination coverage between girls and boys continues to narrow. This progress is encouraging, although vaccination coverage remains insufficient to reduce the incidence of cancers linked to these infections. The national target set by the ten-year cancer control strategy is 80% for both girls and boys by 2030. Efforts must also continue to accelerate the uptake of HPV vaccination to achieve this goal by building on vaccination campaigns in middle schools and reinforcing messages about the importance of vaccinating boys.
• Vaccinating boys is just as essential as vaccinating girls: it contributes to equitable and sustainable protection.

Vaccination Uptake

• According to the 2024 Santé publique France Barometer, vaccination uptake remains high in the region, particularly among young people, with 85% of 18- to 25-year-olds stating they are in favor of vaccination in general.